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The Last Dogfight
VG/G, A NOVEL OF WW2, 281 PAGES
281 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1974
About the author
Martin Caidin
200 books82 followersMartin Caidin was a prolific and controversial writer. Most of his work centered around the adventures of pilots and astronauts. A number of his books were notable for their reasonable, realistic predictions of then-futuristic technology.
Caidin's body of work was prolific and varied, ranging from additional speculative/SF novels such as Marooned, which was made into an acclaimed film and considered a harbinger of the Apollo 13 accident, to a novel based upon the character Indiana Jones. He also wrote many non-fiction books about science, aviation and warfare.
Caidin began writing fiction in 1957. In his career he authored more than 50 fiction and nonfiction books as well as more than 1,000 magazine articles. His best-known novel is Cyborg, which was the basis for "The Six Million Dollar Man" franchise. He also wrote numerous works of military history, especially concerning aviation.
In addition to his writing Caidin was a pilot and active in the restoration and flying of older planes.
Caidin's body of work was prolific and varied, ranging from additional speculative/SF novels such as Marooned, which was made into an acclaimed film and considered a harbinger of the Apollo 13 accident, to a novel based upon the character Indiana Jones. He also wrote many non-fiction books about science, aviation and warfare.
Caidin began writing fiction in 1957. In his career he authored more than 50 fiction and nonfiction books as well as more than 1,000 magazine articles. His best-known novel is Cyborg, which was the basis for "The Six Million Dollar Man" franchise. He also wrote numerous works of military history, especially concerning aviation.
In addition to his writing Caidin was a pilot and active in the restoration and flying of older planes.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 27, 2021
I first read this novel decades ago in high school; it still captivates me and I can easily re-read it and still enjoy it, even though I've read it dozens of times. The characters are well-developed, nuanced, and it's easy to become engrossed in the lives of the main characters as people, not as 'the enemy'. The flight and combat sequences are well-written. Well worth the read.
October 27, 2018
Caidin knows aviation, and he writes it well. Not only is it a good story, it gets the technical details of flying correct. Granted, it's not a book... Or a subject for everyone, but if you like WWII aviation, you'll like it.
May 22, 2017
An interesting story from both sides with dynamic air combat scenes. Aviation comfort reading.
June 26, 2025
The Last Dogfight (1974), by Martin Caidin, is set during World War II. It takes place in an out-of-the-way island chain in the Pacific. A Japanese air squadron occupies an island at one end of the chain. An American air squadron, flying outdated P-40 Warhawk fighters, is located at the other end of the chain. The two enemy forces pick away at each other every chance they get.
The book is written by Martin Caidin. He's perhaps best known for his science fiction novels, most notably Cyborg, which was the basis for the TV series The Six Million Dollar Man. (Cyborg, by the way, is much different and much better than the TV show.) But Caidin was also an accomplished military historian and a pilot, so he knew what he was doing when writing about aerial combat. Consequently, he was able to fill The Last Dogfight with one extraordinary and realistic battle scene after another.
The Japanese Zeros can out-perform the P-40s and one particular pilot, Shiguro Tanimoto, has over a dozen kills. But one American pilot, Mitch Ross, is doing just as well, his own skill more than making up for his inferior aircraft. Later, the Americans get more advanced P-38 Lightnings, giving them the advantage. Tanimoto, though, still seems invincible.
Late in the novel, after the bomb drops on Hiroshima, Tanimoto and Ross arrange a one-on-one duel to find out who really is the best.
And the battle scenes really are great--both the large-scale affairs and the one-on-one dogfights. Caidin takes us into a sky full of airplanes all trying to shoot each other down, expertly describing the potentially confusing action in clear, fast-moving prose. He wraps this all in some great characterizations, both with the main characters and the supporting cast. Caidin wasn't just an expert in combat planes and military history--he was also a superb storyteller.
The book is written by Martin Caidin. He's perhaps best known for his science fiction novels, most notably Cyborg, which was the basis for the TV series The Six Million Dollar Man. (Cyborg, by the way, is much different and much better than the TV show.) But Caidin was also an accomplished military historian and a pilot, so he knew what he was doing when writing about aerial combat. Consequently, he was able to fill The Last Dogfight with one extraordinary and realistic battle scene after another.
The Japanese Zeros can out-perform the P-40s and one particular pilot, Shiguro Tanimoto, has over a dozen kills. But one American pilot, Mitch Ross, is doing just as well, his own skill more than making up for his inferior aircraft. Later, the Americans get more advanced P-38 Lightnings, giving them the advantage. Tanimoto, though, still seems invincible.
Late in the novel, after the bomb drops on Hiroshima, Tanimoto and Ross arrange a one-on-one duel to find out who really is the best.
And the battle scenes really are great--both the large-scale affairs and the one-on-one dogfights. Caidin takes us into a sky full of airplanes all trying to shoot each other down, expertly describing the potentially confusing action in clear, fast-moving prose. He wraps this all in some great characterizations, both with the main characters and the supporting cast. Caidin wasn't just an expert in combat planes and military history--he was also a superb storyteller.
September 20, 2020
The author is a master of the aviation genre. He succeeds in making this true story come alive with his portrayal and supporting characters and the brilliant and knowledgeable descriptions of aerial combat and the airplanes involved. This story portrays a classic duel between the American and Japanese master pilots
May 6, 2009
Fiksi, tapi ditulis sama supir perang langit yang tahu betul tentang situasi pertarungan udara pada Perang Pasifik berikut mesin-mesin perang yang terlibat di dalamnya.
Ceritanya tentang satu kelompok pasukan udara di suatu kepulauan terpencil di Pasifik (entah ada di mana posisinya, tapi kayaknya ya di sekitaran Vella la Cava-nya "Baa Baa Blacksheep" :D ). Rangkaian pulau dari barat ke timur, ujung yang satu dikuasai Nippon, satunya lagi Amrik.
Adegan dibuka oleh pembantaian P-40 Amrik oleh A6M5nya Jepun. Trus P-40nya diganti P-38. Ditutup dengan duel antara jagoan Jepun lawan jagoan Amrik. Duel gaya koboi tea..
Buku ini juga menggambarkan konflik-konflik antar sesama anggota satuan; either Nippon or Amerique, juga suasana emosi tiap-tiap tokoh dalam menyikapi perang.
Gak terlalu jelek (saya gak terlalu suka dengan duelnya, juga aksi pemretelan P-38 oleh si jagoan Amrik yang kayaknya kok mengada-ada), tapi cukup bagus untuk yang newbie dalam hal Air Combat.
Ceritanya tentang satu kelompok pasukan udara di suatu kepulauan terpencil di Pasifik (entah ada di mana posisinya, tapi kayaknya ya di sekitaran Vella la Cava-nya "Baa Baa Blacksheep" :D ). Rangkaian pulau dari barat ke timur, ujung yang satu dikuasai Nippon, satunya lagi Amrik.
Adegan dibuka oleh pembantaian P-40 Amrik oleh A6M5nya Jepun. Trus P-40nya diganti P-38. Ditutup dengan duel antara jagoan Jepun lawan jagoan Amrik. Duel gaya koboi tea..
Buku ini juga menggambarkan konflik-konflik antar sesama anggota satuan; either Nippon or Amerique, juga suasana emosi tiap-tiap tokoh dalam menyikapi perang.
Gak terlalu jelek (saya gak terlalu suka dengan duelnya, juga aksi pemretelan P-38 oleh si jagoan Amrik yang kayaknya kok mengada-ada), tapi cukup bagus untuk yang newbie dalam hal Air Combat.
March 29, 2016
Martin Caidin (God rest his soul) was to military aviation books (fiction and non-fiction alike) what Isaac Aasimov was to the sci-fi genre, i.e. an extremely prolific writer who seemingly wrote 8 books per day (I exaggerate slightly, of course, heh heh).
In "The Last Dogfight," Caidin provides vivid, richly detailed descriptions of aerial combat, down to every last stick, throttle, yoke, and aileron. He also delves into super psychological character development, especially with protagonist Captain (later Major) Mitch Ross and antagonist Senior Lieutenant Shigura Tanimoto.
Only one minor technical gripe: the author describes the Japanese characters as using the English ("Imperial?") system of measurement, i.e. feet and pounds, when in reality I'm 99% sure the Japanese were already using the metric system by this time.
That minor nitpick aside, an excellent novel.
In "The Last Dogfight," Caidin provides vivid, richly detailed descriptions of aerial combat, down to every last stick, throttle, yoke, and aileron. He also delves into super psychological character development, especially with protagonist Captain (later Major) Mitch Ross and antagonist Senior Lieutenant Shigura Tanimoto.
Only one minor technical gripe: the author describes the Japanese characters as using the English ("Imperial?") system of measurement, i.e. feet and pounds, when in reality I'm 99% sure the Japanese were already using the metric system by this time.
That minor nitpick aside, an excellent novel.
Currently Reading
January 10, 2011I think this book has a great story already working for me because, i read the front and back flaps to get an inside scoop on the story and it looks really good. I can definitely relate this book to other war topic books and understand it better just because i read a lot of those types of books. I have only read about ten pages and the story is already a fight seen in the air and they are escorting the B-42 Liberators to a japanese island to bomb them and they are in a bunch of old rustbucket planes that are basically worn out and they are flying to intercept a group of zeros on target to their bombers. That is about all the further i am in the book but it is looking like it could be a great one already.
November 26, 2010
It took me many years (read it in High School/9th/10th grade) but i finally found a paperback copy of this to own (aprox. '82'/'83'), from a little bookstore on the main drag in Nacogdoches, Texas! One of my fave planes of W.W.II I luved this story...Spoiler alert if you haven't read it...And literally cried at the end at the death of the Japenese pilot. I guess i should dig that book out and give it another read.
xoDaleB.xo
xoDaleB.xo
May 13, 2007
Great book. Covers both the Japenese and American viewpoints. Lots of WWII aerial jargon and tactics.
August 10, 2018
Great Book. I read It around 30 yrs ago and still remember it like it was yesterday. it was riveting and it made me feel like I was piloting the plane. I highly recomend it to history buffs
January 11, 2013
Story of two pilots (Us & Japan WW2)shot down and forced into a friendship born of necessity. The story reveals ho their humanity overcomes their indoctrination.
March 11, 2015
Fun book and great characters. Not the most realistic but a fun story.
August 8, 2015
Excellant WWII Airplane P-40, P-38, Zero AAF Manly-man Book from a good old fasioned story telling Author
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews